A Shared DreamOf Wild Roses
by Noctrix
Summary: Terra/Firion. Short, and kind of fluffy. Terra realizes who she wants to share a dream with, and possibly share a little more.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: First Fanfic. Haha. :P So be understanding if it sucks, or doesn't suit your fancy. Sorry. Also, this story is very short.**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot, nothing else. **

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A world of wild roses.

"I'm afraid of my powers. I'm afraid...if they build up, they'll go out of control and, I won't be able to stop them. I'm...afraid of hurting the ones I care deeply for. Again."

"Everyone hesitates."

Cloud's voice echoed in her memory.

"Except that _reckless_ guy, of course." He continued, stepping forward and extending his hand, in it, rested a small rose, a gentle light radiating from its circles of scarlet petals. Terra eyed it with curriosity, her small hands held gently infront of her chest. "What is it?" she asked.

Cloud said nothing for a while, shifting his weight to one leg and staring down at his boots, after the rose had vanished mysteriously in his hands, back into oblivion for safe keeping.

"Firion's dream..." He muttered.

Firion's _dream_.

***

Terra stood in a grassy meadow, red, _wild_, roses blooming and swaying gently in the breeze around her boots. The wind swept at her emerald hair and the length of cherry blossom pink, silk hanging from her back. She lifted her hand, in her fingers a small red rose in which she brought to her nose to take in its light scent.

She closed her eyes, opening them shortly after with a thoughtful look on her face. Firion...

The man who Cloud spoke of. The man whose dream first inspired her to have one of her very own. It must be wonderful to be like that- to be able to draw such strength from a dream, as simple as it may be. It was such a thing of beauty. Cloud had admitted he was jealous of Firion for such a trait, and truth be told, so was Terra. But what would Terra dream of? What could it be that she could possibly want...

Terra looked down dreamily, somewhat brooding, with a small frown across her features. Her dainty fingers toyed with the rose's petals in her hands, as she thought about it. Until...

"Aha."

Terra's head snapped up and looked towards her left, where the voice had come from. Approching her, treading lightly through the grass was the man himself. Firion. the sun bouncing of his armor, the wind sweeping through his long silvery ponytail, beads clicking against eachother, and his long cape swaying behind him, swishing through the grass.

Terra looked down shyly, until he was standing next to her in the bed of roses. She kept her head down, therefore she missed the wry smile that crosses his lips as he looked at her, and then looked to the rose in her hands.

He breathed an amused little sigh and gestured to it. "So...I take it you like them too." he laughed somehwat, tiredly, if one payed close enough attention to his tone.

Terra just looked up at him curiously, and decided to just nod her head, for lack of anything else to say. She had so many things she wanted to ask Firion, she wanted to know everything about him, about his dreams...she just could not think of what to say. She couldn't find the words. She was afraid again, and blushed because of it until words just came tumbling out of her mouth...

"Why... wild roses..?"

Firion raised an eyebrow, and blinked, still looking at her. Terra mentally slapped herself. That sounded so stupid! The blush in her cheeks grew hotter and she wanted nothing more than to just teleport out of there now officially mortified.

"...huh?"

"Y-your dream. Cloud told me." She offered quickly, trying to clarify a little for him.

"Ah." He responded, looking away towards the rolling hills before them. Firion seemed mellow, and understanding, which caled Terra's nerves a little.

"I just think, a world with conditions where roses can grow in the wild, would have to _be_ a pretty damn peaceful place." He said dreamily, with confedence. "Doesn't sound too bad at all, huh?"

"Y-yeah." Terra said looking up at him, agreeing.

Firion offered a warm smile, dark brown eyes meeting blue. His hand found its way around Terra's, taking from her slim fingers the wild rose and he looked at it, inspecting it gently in his fingers.

"Besides, they're kind of pretty." he breathed a hushed laugh, and slowly raised his hand up to Terra's emerald locks of hair, tucking the bloom gingerly behind her ear.

He offered once more a polite smile and a nod of his head and turned, with a gentle swish of his cape, treading back down the hill towards the camp, where a fire and a few other warriors of Cosmos could be seen doing various things and preparing for their next battle.

Terra looked behind her, watching him slowly decend down the grassy knoll along with the sun, her hand resting on the bloom tucked away behind her curls.

It was then when she realized, Firion gave her the courage she despirately needed. It was _his_ dream that helped her overcome her fear; in the past, and here and now. It was then she decided that in the morning she'd ask him if it were okay to share the dream, and make it happen, together.

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**A/N: Review if you really feel like it and thanks for reading. n_n Or voice whether or not you want this story to continue. Much appreciated. 3**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you Zombie_Kitten and narutofan1091 for the comments/reviews. :]**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, or its characters.**

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The darkness cleared slightly, purple, scarlet, and abyssal blue swirled revealing in it's depths that of a cursed face. White make up, and cruel eyes lined in red, and there, a plastic grin. It was a whirl of sickening colors and hypnotic patterns when Kefka stepped from his perch in the shadows of the realm of Chaos. Making sounds of rage and disgust as he threw one of Mateus' glass orbs to the ground. The crystal watch-glass rolled away across the stone only to be halted by the foot of someone near by.

"Something the matter, clown?"

Kefka grumbled in a high-pitched mutter, his brow knitting and unknitting as he fumed.

The one watching his display of discontent merely watched, unphased.

"The girl, she's getting bolder. Her pretty little eyes are all aglow now with a new confedence. Aglow with _hope_." Kefka spat the last word. "It's all because of that _guy_, as soon as she starts hanging out with him more, she starts acting like she's..._happy_. .!" he screamed. "_I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate it!!!"_

Sephiroth rolled the crystal orb under his boot and bent to pick it up holding it in his hand, still watching Kefka.

Kefka was staring out into the void. Suddenly his shoulders becan to shiver at first, and then quake with maddening giggles.

What started as giggles became howls of screaming laughter as the clown wrung his hands, tossing his head to the sky.

"I'll have to break her. Again! Oh, what fun. To be able to not only do it once, but twice!" he screamed.

Kefka whipped around taking in a long breath and then exhaling dramatically, an insane grin slowly stretching the corners of his painted lips from ear to pointed ear.

"Can't wait." he whispered, eyes wide with insanity.

He squealed leaping up into the air and vanishing in a puff of black smoke, and what appeared to be...confetti.

Sephiroth didn't even blink his Mako eyes, looking down to the glass orb in his hands, wondering what his own little toy might be up to, and he carried the spy-glass off into the darkness.

***

Terra shuffled her feet, nervous. Her palm was sweaty, her heart racing. She could feel his strong arm resting against hers, and his other hand on her shoulder. As he spoke she could feel his breath ghost across her cheek, every now and then he'd subtly brush her while he spoke, being so close to her. Firion stanced Terra as she stood with his bow in her small hands, the weapon master spotting her as she attempted to take aim.

"No, like this." he mumbled, clearly amused as he adjusted her aim and lowered her elbow, "relax your grip some. Uh-huh, just like that."

His hand rested on the back of her palm, until he stepped away some, not letting her go though, as he continued to help her hold up the bow.

"Uhh...ummm..." Terra whispered, laughing nervously.

"Relax, you're doing fine." he chuckled. Terra could feel his chest reverberate against her back, which almost made her lose her composure and let the arrow fly, but she quickly regained her control and focused again on her target with a soft gulp.

"Take a deep breath." He instructed gently, and she did, which also helped her calm her nerves.

"And...release."

Terra let go, and the arrow zipped through the air and burrowed deep into a knothole, on a tree, hitting the target perfectly.

She beamed in amazement, her azure eyes sparkling like saphires, as she held the bow against her chest with both hands.

Firion nodded his approval, and halfway smiled, watching her through secret and smug eyes.

Terra couldn't help but laugh in disbelief, turning to him and just looking at him with her appreciation showing in her eyes, and her smile.

"Thank you." she said, shyly, looking down at her feet again.

"Can't believe you never learned..." he said, in an attempt to tease her.

Terra's lips formed in a pout and she narrowed her eyes. "I'm more of a magician, swordsmiss, actually."

Firion, pleased with getting her to pout cutely for him, smiled, ammused, and yielded to her. "Fair enough."

Terra huffed.

"So." Firion said, turning and holding his hand out to her, indicating she should follow. "You were part of a resistance too. Back in your homeworld."

Terra began walking along side him, craddling the bow in her arms, "Yes." she mumbled. "We were fighting against the government...for a better world. Free from it's tyranny."

"Ah, sounds _familiar_." Firion smirked, remembering his own past in Fynn.

The two continued down the glade, closer to where the others were, Firion taking the bow back from Terra and slinging it around his shoulder.

"So what's up with that Kefka guy?" Firion grimaced, rubbing the back of his head before putting his bow down and leaning his elbows atop the small fence.

Terra blinked, a little suprised, her insides doing a flip-flop at the mere mention of his name.

"...He." She began, swallowing and then attempting to start her sentence again. "Horrible...maniac." was all she could say. When it came to Kefka Palazzo, what more could one say?

"I can see that." Firion put down his head, and then looked back up at Terra, laughing. "I mean just look at his outfit, the guy looks like his so cracked he doesn't even have any sense in a wardrobe..."

Terra brought her hand up to her lips, chuckling, until her vissage became serious once more.

"He was consumed by the lust for power. Magic. He stole nearly all of it belonging to the Espers, and threw the world into a state of unbalance. All was ruined..." Her eyes darkened for a moment before she shrugged it off. "Which was a long time ago. We put a stop to it and the reconstruction process is in order...but...now. He's back."

Firion could sense her worry. Inside himself he was reminded of Mateus, and at the same time he was reminded of his integrity to put an end to conflicts of this specific nature. The weapons specialist reached for Terra's hand then thought better of it and returned it to its previous place. Looking away, his deep brown eyes grew some-what distant.

"Don't worry about it Terra." He said suddenly. The girl stopped her inner worryings for a moment to gaze at him with concern. "Firion..?"

"Hey... I mean it." he looked back to her, his smoldering eyes looking over her face, "You did it once, you can do it again." He said reassuring her, "And besides..." a smile played across his lips as he tilted his head, looking at her through the corner of his eyes. "I'll be here with you. You and I share a dream together now. We'll see this through together."

Terra, if she were how she was a few years ago, normally would have recoiled at such a statement. She would have allowed herself to crumble within her fear, at the way he was looking at her now, and at the tone in which he spoke to her. But now, she was a much stronger woman, and she smiled, able to accept that.

"Right." she nodded.

Wild roses...

they bloomed in her dreams while she slept now. Each opening with a new day, and new strength found, able to finally conquer her fear. And Firion was right there with her. Her confidence in herself was still blooming...slowly...but surely. And everyday Firion helped it grow.

The two continued to talk into the wee hours of the evening, chatting about everything from their past, to what they thought, as to how many girlfriends Zidane had as opposed to how many girls he flirted with. Each time Firion would get Terra to laugh, her melodious laugh, something inside him would smile, and make him slowly realize how much he loved seeing her happy, and how much he loved to be the cause of it.

"...take Tidus for instance." Firion offered, "The guy can't go two sentences without reminding you _who's_ "story" it actually is." Terra laughed, understanding completely where he was coming from.

"That or telling you he wants to scream..." he smirked just thinking about it.

"Ahhhhhh!!!" Terra mocked, mimicking when the young blitzball player would yell out into the night in frustration.

Firion's normally somber visage broke at that moment and let lose a hearty laugh, afterwards resting a hand to the back of his head, looking down at the ground, sighing.

"Heh. Haven't laughed like that in...I actually don't know how long." he admitted, looking over at Terra sheepishly.

Terra looked down, smiling and she looked up to the now night sky, silently counting each star. Unknowingly enjoying the calm before the storm, however it may be unknown...

Feeling bold, for once, which was new, Terra let her head tilt until it rested against Firion's shoulder. Catching the weapons-master off guard. He leaned his head in too, after a while, resting it against Terra's soft emerald curls.

They stayed like that for a while, each secretly dreading in the morning when they would have to head out, continuing Cosmos' crusade for peace...As the darkness schemed their demise all the while.

"You don't have to be afraid anymore Terra. I'll be right here..." he said somberly, quietly into her hair. Firion had been watching her for a while now, he knew it was what was holding her back. Every time, he'd see it in her eyes, when he watched her...Her fear.

"...Thank you." she whispered, closing her eyes, no longer harboring said fear within them...

***

Behind the nearest tent, a flash of orange and a plume of white could be seen hiding in the shadows. A pair of green eyes flashed, narrowing, iris' dripping with envy, small fists clenching in rage as the Onion Knight watched the two whisper, together, in the fading starlight...

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**A/N: So yeah. Onion Knight got a little jealous. Aww..**

**Next Chapter, if there's one, will probably have some fighting against the Warriors of Chaos in it. Woot!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Many thanks and kuponuts to: Scribbleness, WhiteIllusion, Riku91,OhMyMoogle, MinaDeville, and Intensify for your reviews and support! Thanks so much! =)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, or its characters****.**

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Three hours after the sun rose, or what everyone thought was the sun, in this upside-down Land of the God's, the Warriors of Cosmos each headed their separate ways again.

Some in search of their yet-to-find crystals; the others deployed to crush the opposing forces of darkness at hand.

This _was _war after all...

The Onion knight, although he had wiped away furious tears as he saw the new displays of affection his Terra was showing towards a certain Firion now-a-days, still wasn't discouraged from following the young maiden around, feeling it was his duty to protect her, especially from the young weapons-specialist.

After all, _he_ was there first, or so he told himself over and over, feeding his ego.

However his heart still stayed the same, for the most part, or so it tried.

The boy was still so very much a child, he couldn't help himself, or what wavered his heart for that matter.

As they journeyed, Terra's hand would sometimes venture on its own towards Firion's free hand, and her fingers would delicately, shyly, entangle themselves with his.

When this happened, however, a small growl could be heard from behind them. Firion subtly would glance behind his shoulder-guard, to spy a very discontent Onion knight, glaring at him like he should be the dirt underneath his boots, rather than the man standing there holding onto Terra's fair hand.

The Onion Knight would clench his fists, little bottom lip stuck out, as his acid green eyes narrowed, and his youthful brow knitted, glaring up at Firion with all his might.

Firion turned his head forward, and hid his wry smile from the small youngster, afterward leaning a little closer to Terra so only she could hear.

"Not in front of the kid." he chuckled.

Terra blinked and looked down at their hands affectionately intertwined, and she quickly drew her hand back and rested it safely on her chest.

"Oh..!" she gasped, a small blush rising in the apples of her cheekbones, "S-Sorry..!"

Firion sighed, giving a roll of his deep brown eyes in the direction of the pouty Onion Knight following them close behind.

"Me too." he grumbled, suddenly feeling that three was a crowd.

***

"Alright. Proceed with caution!"

"Tch, whatever, _old _man. Step aside." The Onion Knight smoothly slid past Firion, striding to the frontline with sword in one hand and ego in the other.

"Try to stay out of our way!" he taunted with a cocky smirk as he looked back at Firion.

With that, the the small knight sped ahead, running. His little feet 'pitter-patting' against the dirt as he leaped gracefully in the air and took the first blow against the lead manikin. His sword striking blow after blow like an airborne woodpecker.

"Ha!" he screamed as he bounced off and delivered more damage by sticking his sword into the manikin's foot.

Terra readied herself for battle as Firion joined the fray from another angle. She studied the manikins, each robbing the form of a friend she knew, as they normally did.

She watched as the Onion Knight took on one who was currently in the form of a disfigured, crystalesque version of Cecil; and Firion who was currently, and expertly, beating down a doppelganger Cloud Strife.

Terra looked to the third accompanying them, as it fired Blizzara in the form of ice needles, spraying downward like rain.

Quickly she sped forward as if on skates, summoning large strings of Fira, lacing them between her fingers and weaving them into coiled balls of fire before flinging them up at the attacker, shielding her friends from any more falling ice. The fire weaved through the air and hit its target, embers flaring around its form upon impact and knocking it out of the sky.

The girl took the opportunity to rush over to it, now recovering on the ground, she watched the grotesque being as it stood up.

Terra readied more fire around her fingers, before the manikin lifted its head and looked her directly in the eyes.

She gasped, losing her concentration and the fire disipated, as she stared in disbelief.

Standing across from her, was herself. A crystallized, molded, statuesque version, and eyes of radiating, putrid, yellow, fire. Smirking at her with her own borrowed features.

"Who..._are_ you?"

Terra, taken so far off of guard couldn't react fast enough when the disfigured version of herself leaped forward, violent wind beginning to pick up in all directions, and it called out in garbled speech:

"_MaLeVolEnt WI*nd!_"

Terra was swept up into the cyclone, wind knocking the air out of her and cutting her all over like it where a storm of a thousand needles, and she was thrown across the field, her body hitting the dirt and sliding for a couple of yards.

"Terra!"

Firion and the Onion Knight were too far away by now, in accordance to where Terra landed. She wearily lifted her head, the joints in her body aching as she attempted to get back up to her feet. Suddenly she felt a weight slam down hard on her back.

"Ngh!!!"

Spider-like fingers tangled in her hair and pulled upward, pulling her to her feet. Terra trembled in shock when she stared into the eyes of the manikin, who was staring back with a cracked, twisted smile.

It happened all so fast.

Suddenly, shards of crystal sprayed from it, darkness bubbled, and maniacal laughter erupted from the form all at once. Now standing where the maniken should have been was Kefka, in all his glory, head raised to the sky, cackling, the colors of his wardrobe flowing sickeningly in the wind.

Terra screamed, and Kefka's hand clamped down over her mouth as he drew in closer to her face, his laughter still echoing throughout the landscape around them.

"Be a good girl now, and come home, _dear_. Poppa wouldn't _want_ to have to give you a _spanking_."

Kefka's repulsive, long, purple tongue flicked out like a serpent's, and he sneered, giggling.

"F-Firion..." she whispered weakly.

Terra struggled, the pain in her body was holding her back, and Kefka's talon-like grip was too strong. She was being drained of her energy...

"TERRA!"

Firion flew in like a hawk, bow strung, and arrow already flying through the air toward Kefka, before it even hit, Firion was at the ready with his sword, aiming a strong swipe at the clown, electricity crackling with his rage.

Kefka hopped and did a kind of twisted dance step out of the way of the arrow and flipped over Firion's sword, all with a now unconscious Terra still in his hands.

The diabolical harlequin landed with a great amount of chortling and flamboyant hand gestures before he spoke, unharmed.

"My! Aren't you on fire today! Trying to come to the rescue of your darling princess?! HOW CLICHE'!" he taunted...and managed to rhyme at the same time, which pissed Firion off even more...

Kefka let loose a blade of electricity. It tore through the air and Firion rolled out of the way.

"Is that all you got?" he growled, crouching, he fired another plasma arrow, a blow which Kefka took.

The blow halted Kefka's insane laughter as it tore through his leg and he howled in pain. Turning his head, he glared darkly at the weapons-master, snarling and seething with rage. "Ooooooh!!! You little-!!!"

Firion readied with his sword to strike, but he couldn't...

Kefka was using Terra as a shield as he held her closer. Just seeing this, made Firion's rage bubble uncontrollably.

"That's right." Kefka hissed, holding Terra's face in his clawed hands roughly, holding her tighter. "Wouldn't wannna _risk_ marring that sweet face of hers" he snickered darkly, his thumb nail lightly piercing her cheek in which a small line of blood appeared.

"Oops!"

All too quickly manikin's of every form leaped from every direction, a legion of them, all charging at Firion from ground and from the sky.

Kefka flung himself into the air, floating there with Terra hanging limply in his grip, laughing up at the heavens.

The Onion Knight who was trying to catch up as fast as he could, panic stricken for Terra's safety was already having a hard time fighting off the creatures, before one, in the massive form of Garland, got the best of him and knocked him down, and he lay there defeated, blood soaked and unable to carry on.

Firion stormed through the manikins, a feral look on his face, throwing them aside as if they were rag dolls, panting, grappling one to him, and knocking it away, cleaving through waves of them with his sword and spear all at once.

Kefka's maddening laughter howled through the air as Firion fought. Taking down any who stood in his way to reaching Terra.

There were just too many...

"Let her go!!!! TERRA!!!"

He screamed, as he literally destroyed the last one in his way, and he lept upwards, hand outstretched toward Terra.

The silk cloth draped around her shoulders slipped through Firion's grasp and his fingers caught nothing as Kefka and Terra disappeared, leaving Firion to fall like a shot down eagle in the sky, and he fell, landing roughly on his knees.

They were gone.

Firion cursed. He cursed Kefka, he cursed himself for not being able to protect the girl, he cursed this damned war...

He knelt there in shock, on hands and knees staring at the ground, rage, and anger etched into his face, teeth bared, and his body shook.

Firion screamed in agony, fist raised and he slammed it into the earth, cracking it underneath him, his magic spiking at the peak of his rage and ice erupted from his blow and covered the radius around him, spiked glaciers crashing forth from the earth as the cause.

"TERRA---!!!!!!!!"

Except for Firion's sorrow and rage, all was silent into the night.

***

After a while, Firion rose to his feet, a feral look smoldering in his dark eyes. Wind sweeping through his cloak and through his hair, a dangerous aura around him, burning like an unseen fire.

He knew just who to find to lead him to Terra. He'd hunt down Mateus and beat the crap out of him should he decide not to cooperate. He promised himself that.

He was afraid of what they would do to her.

She must be so scared...

_Dammit!_

Her fear!

"Nghh!!!!"

Picturing it brimming in her sapphire eyes again, spurred Firion like a madman across the way to where Onion Knight lay, he hastily scooped up the child and threw him across his shoulder, taking off into the approaching night like the howling wind.

***

...

...

...

"Ughhh..."

Groggily, pushing covers aside, The Onion Knight sat up suddenly...

"OH SHI-!"

Quickly a hand calmed him and startled him all at once.

He looked to the side to see Cloud sitting in a chair next to his cot, his hand resting on the Onion Knight's shoulder.

"Calm down. You're still not healed yet."

"I don't care! Terr-!!"

The Onion Knight hissed in pain, one eye squeezed shut and his teeth bared, clutching the bandages across his stomach, and trembling.

Cloud just sighed tiredly.

"Where's Firion?" the boy asked, his face serious, and his lips tightly pursed.

Cloud just silently stared at the boy, until he spoke.

"Do you really need to ask."

The boy looked down at his hands. He already knew the answer...

"That man won't let his dream go, that easily."

The Onion Knight just looked over at the older man, a worried look written in his facial expression.

Cloud, serious as ever, leaned in, resting his elbows on his knees somberly, looking the small boy in the eyes.

"...Tell me what happened."

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**A/N: To be continued.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who Reviewed. The original chapter was a bit long so I cut it in half, and the rest of it will be completed soon and uploaded as the next chapter. Also, congrats to those of you who got the Garland reference in Ch.3. ^-^ Made my day that someone actually noticed!**

** Warning, this chapter can appear a bit "angsty" depending on how you interpret it but I think it's pretty clear. With all the fluff in the previous chapters I wanted to balance it out a bit. Anyways, enjoy.~**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy, or its characters.**

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The deafening sound of hollow, white noise filled her ears and she lay there, face buried in her arms, emerald hair draped over her face in a mess, like an obscuring curtain. Terra forced her eyes open, and willed herself to sit up, feeling as though her entire body were made of sand. Sleep clung to her eyelashes, as she raised a heavy hand to rub her face and cradle her forehead, her eyelashes still batting as if in a drunken haze.

"What...happened..."

Was that her voice? It sounded so distant.

She was now aware, as she slowly stood, that a fizzing heat stirred inside her and made her nerves constrict, feeling out of mind and angry, but for a reason unknown.

She didn't know where she was, or what had happened prior, but it didn't seem like enough to get her this upset and feel a distant rage building in her, held at bay. A rage so fierce the foreign thought of smashing the stone, and deep black tile beneath her crossed her mind. But why? What was going on?

Terra wasn't feeling too well. The anxiety she already felt for the confussion of not knowing where she was, was mixing with the anger she felt deep inside, for an uknown reason.

Quietly she gasped, resting a hand against one of the many stone pillars surrounding her in the almost darkness, trying to steady herself as she gazed at the floor.

In contrast to the dark floor, the pillars were twisted and deep purple. Terra decided to advance down the eerie hallway, noticing a long rug stretching down through the endless hallway, made of patterns and colors, which suddenly made her even more anxious, causing her to feel slightly sicker.

_You're alright. Just breathe._ She told herself internally. _You can do this..._

The walls were changing now as she walked further down. Light flashed like lightning and suddenly there were duplicates of herself standing everywhere, copying her frightened gestures.

Reflections.

Terra timidly approached one, as it did her, seeing the sheen of the glass of the mirror. As if testing it, she slowly placed a hand up against it and watched herself stare back in confusion.

_"Why don't you just give up?!"_

Terra jumped at the sound of the shrill and chiding voice behind her. The air flew out of her lungs and she gasped, whirling about staring at what seemed to be...herself.

The mirror image of her was glaring at her with disgust, moving of its own accord, and it wrinkled its nose at the sight of Terra.

"Look at you, you're helpless." came its flippant retort as it continued, "You don't even know where you are. How _worthless._ You're no help to anyone, not even yourself!"

Terra's eyes were wide in shock, her heart-rate was inceasing, the anxiety rising and the foreign anger deep inside was pounding on whatever it was that was holding it back.

She suddenly took off running down the hall, passing mirror after mirror, all of them vissions of herself whispering about her, calling out to her the words that had been lurking in her heart.

"You _destroyed_, everything! Anything that you get your grimy little hands on, you destroy!"

Terra stopped, holding her face in her hands, her knees somewhat bent as she tried to drown them out. Her skin suddenly felt like it was on fire.

"No! You're wrong!" she meant to shout, but it only came out as a strangled whimper.

The feelings inside lashed around like some uncontrolled beast, its searing tendrils wrapping themselves around her heart which kept beating faster.

She gasped and turned, meaning to run but she ran into another mirror, the reflection casting her a disgusted gaze.

"No one wants you! Just go away! They don't want a weak, ugly, insignificant piece of filth like you!" it screamed in genuine, harsh, rage, _"They're better off without everything they live for destroyed by the ugly abomination you are!"_

"No...!" Terra cried. She was giving in, the anger inside _making _her, as it forced the strings of her mental state to snap. Her hands, shaking, flew to her mouth,her azure eyes squinted and brimming with tears not understanding what was going on.

Frantically, eyes locked onto the image before her with fear, she backed up into something solid.

Terra turned around and met the half-lidded eyes of an image of the Onion Knight, blood running in thick lines from scars on his face, his gaze broken and bruised.

"I don't even know why I protected someone like you Terra." he spoke in a clearly dejected tone. "...You couldn't even protect _me_!" he suddenly screamed, lashing out at her in rage, he came more into view, armor broken, and once youthful body stained with blood.

Terra fell backwards screaming, scrambling on the floor, sobs breaking from her in a mad frenzy of fear and panic.

He was right. She failed to protect him. She was worthless...She destroyed him...

Memories of Locke and Celes; of Sabin and Edgar raced through her mind in a whirl of madness. The memory of the World of Ruin. Towns ablaze, people dead and dying...

It was her. She did it. She'd ran from that fact for so long, she'll never escape. She'll keep doing it again, and again! Destroying those she would ever care for.

The strange, dark anxiety and anger inside flared and gripped at her mind and heart, making every inch of her feel pain and start to glow. It was so intense she felt as if it would rip her in half, until...

Her hand gripped something familiar. She held tight to it and looked at what she held: a long blue drape. She followed it up to where it lead, her eyes widening in shock and jumbled-up emotions as her eyes, now streaming with tears met with Firion.

He was standing before her, a vission, glaring down at her, and he tore his cape from her hands. He closed his eyes and turned his face from her.

Terra reached out desperately, tears flowing free from her eyes. Just the sight of him rejecting her made something in her crack and shake uncontrollably.

Firion...

He turned his back on her, cape fluttering, and his voice echoed in the darkness.

"I would never share my dream with you Terra. You would only seek to destroy it, just like you destroyed your home world..."

Terra's heart broke, the only thing holding the darkness within her back. The rage burst forth from her then in the form of madness. A deafening scream burst from her lips as she arched her back in pain and flame. Maroon light erupting from her in a blinding flash and a sparkle of wild electricity.

Firion turned, a smirk broad on his twisted lips, his eyes flashing a hideous, scarlet, before crimson lines fell from his eyes like tears and wove themselves into signature, filigree patterns under his eyes.

Shrill maniacal laughter errupted from him then, and mixed with the screams of the tortured and transforming girl at his feet. His form swirled in a mix of color and pattern, skin becoming powder white, as his cloak fluttered revealing his true self to be the Phantasmal Harlequin.

Kefka stood there now, shed of his illusions, cackling, his plan succeeded and he watched Terra's skin become riddled with violet fur, her nails lengthen and become sharp like elongated knives, and her eyes become feral and glow with an out-of-control force.

In his hands he held her crystal, the magicite which was glowing with a corrupted black light, from it generating the madness that was seizing Terra's heart and blocking her will from her. Showering her with illusions of hate and self-loathing, fueling her anger and pain inside.

Violet flame swarmed around her as a flash of silver and familiar words filled her mind, spoken by a firm yet gentle voice, in her madness she could barely recognize. Her heart's last attempt at regaining control was consumed, and the last of her consciousness fell into darkness.

***

A figure whipped by in a haze of sky blue and red, running as if flying on wings of stealth and hurried grace. It raced through wood, grass, and metal, along a trek of fire. Blood soaked his brow and remnants and shards of glass dusted his clothes and clung to his weapons. He had fought through manikin and man alike to reach where he came to a halt outside a twisted labyrinth-like tower known by its name as Pandaemonium.

Firion's piercing gaze ran up the tower, a grimace forming over his face at the grotesque sight of twisted crystals.

"You never let it go, do you, Emperor." he growled in disgust.

Albeit this was not the real and original "Pandaemonium". Apparently while The Emperor stayed in this land which belonged to the gods, he saw it fit to replicate the accursed structure for dwelling purposes during his stay. It was mere shadow, a reflection of the real one which was destroyed by The Wild Rose back in Flynn.

***

Climbing the endless stairs and halls felt extremely redundant to Firion. Everything was exactly the same, he knew when to turn right, when to keep going straight, there was even an upside-down version of the Jade Passage, which brought a cynical smirk to the weapon master's lips.

What _was_new however was, there was no demons or ghosts haunting the halls, only those of his memories. Firion came to a slow halt as he realized this. It was so quiet. He wouldn't be complaining if it wasn't so eerie to him that it even made the small silver hairs on his neck raise.

Looking around he could see his murky reflection in the dirty crystals, and watch the silent flow of disrupted atmosphere dance and twirl in a dying way. He blinked at the ominous display, a gasp settled in the back of his throat before he shook himself out of his trance with a grunt.

"I don't have time for this."

With that, he threw the unnerving sense that he was walking within his own memories away. That was then, this was now. Terra was his present and future, he wasn't about to forget that. Determination sparked in his eyes and he sped off into a run climbing stair after stair, busting through crystal walls and shattering anything in his way to reach where he knew the egomaniac himself would be sitting.

With a kick of his heel Firion sent forth the throne room doors right unto the long luxurious carpet. The sound of shattering hinges and intricate weaving skiting across the carpet, stirred a great flaring mass of color and spikes on the other side of the room. Rising elegantly like some otherworldly peacock rose a great silhouette from a great contorted throne, and graceful headdress and flaring hair like the rays of the sun turned around. Painted, pointed eyes dismally glared at the weapons-master panting in the doorway, in his silver eyes, the same look the Emperor was giving him. A look of loathing.

The Emperor Mateus, now fully turned around, with long striped cloak in his painted claw-like fingertips, dropped his cape and it fluttered behind him, elegantly draping himself as he raised his head to look pointedly down at the young man across the hall, a pretentious sneer forming on his lips.

"Well, well," he said, his tone condecending, low, and floaty as usual, "What have we here? Has the puppy come home to aknowlage his master at last?"

Firion straighted up, and glared, his eyes darkening to a stony slate color as he began walking forward, with a deathly brisk and determined pace. The low, cruel chuckling of the clearly amused Emperor bouncing off the crystal walls and into Firion's ears.

"Cut the crap, Mateus." he growled through clenched teeth, "I beleive you have something I want. I'm here to take it from you. Consider this a _conquest_." Edging the most of his hatred toward the other man in his last word, Firion flicked his wrist and drew his sword with a flash pointing the tip right at Mateus' nose.

The emperor gazed down the scarlet-hued blade right into Firion's piercing eyes, boredly, and unflinching. He slowly swerved his head to the side and looked at him dangerously through the corner of his ultraviolet eyes.

"What _are_ you talking about, _dog_?"

Firion, lowered his head, eyes still baring holes in the Emperor's face, grinning almost sadistically if one didn't know better. A little amused huff escaped from him as he did so.

"Don't play stupid. I already know that what with your nature, you preside as leader over the rest of the Legion of Chaos like some self-assumed, pompous, king." Firion mused, "Therefore..." his tone changed into a growl, "You know where each and every one of your 'subrodinates' are so you can stick your nosey face into their business to keep and eye over them."

Firion lowered his sword to his side and Mateus' faceted eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement, a small smirk playing at the corner of his violet-lipped mouth at the fact Firion was actually acknowledging his superiority in a small way.

"Tell me where the Phantasmal Harlrquin is!"

The Emperor raised his hands, and staff, in a flamboyant gesture, pretending to be at loss, with a false sigh and moan.

"Ohhhh...is _that_ what this is about? I'm afraid, you're _barking _up the wrong tree." he leered with a smirk when Firion growled at the remark. "I haven't the slightest idea what that insane little buffoon is up to, even if it may or may not involve totally corrupting the essence of a crying, _helpless, _little girl..."

A flash of red and the sound air and metal set a small dribbling line of scarlet into the air, flowing from the Emperor's immaculate cheek as he fluttered backwards on invisible steps into the air, to dodge Firion's furious blow. The Emperor raised a thumb and wiped the blood from his cheek placing the digit over his lips subtly licking the substance dirtying his violet nails, and he scowled down at the young man with furry and disgust. The thought of the gall that he would dare scar his perfect visage made his iris' glow with an angry violet fire.

"Hmph. What a tool you are, enslaved mindlessly by something so frivilous. I'll make you beg for my reign over you when you realize this, you worthless insect!"

Frivolous? No. These things, love and dreams, these were the few things worth fighting for in a world full of fraud, greed, and hatred. The only diamonds in a world full of filth, things that could give a man power, true power. Things, the Emperor would never understand.

All his jeers only earned Mateus a look of pity from the weapons-master. All the wretched man wanted was power, when he didn't even know its true meaning. He didn't know then, he didn't know now, and he would never know, therefore. At this Firion smirked at him.

Mateus, frustrated at Firion's inability to crumble like most did before him, lost control and a huge loom of energy wove behind him and tautened letting loose spiral after spiral of energy hurtling towards the young weapons-specialist. Firion effortlessly ducked low and sped out from underneath the rain, with a swipe of his sword he dispersed the rest of the aura in his way, leaping upward toward where the Emperor twisted out of the way as Firion came down with his sword, pulling free his spear and aiming a stab right Mateus' preemptive energy veil.

The veil waned changing color from violet to black as it was disrupted. Mateus flung forth his hand which sparked with a dark light and erupted the space around Firion, who fell in a tumble from the air and landed on his knees on the stone below. Before Firion could lift his head, he was already met with a sweeping blow which caught under his arm and threw him backward into a glass pillar. The impact forced the air from his lungs and suddenly he felt as if his trachea would break as a force was slammed up against it. Darkness shrouded him and the closeness of the Emperor could be felt, along with the hatred he felt crackling like fire in his aura, causing Firion a great deal of physical and mental pain as he was held there.

"What is _love_now?" chortled the Emperor darkly, as he snarled and crushed his staff against Firion's throat harder.

"Ugh..." Firion scowled in disgust at Mateus' proximity, "Look it up."

Liquid splashed at freezing temperature around his left fist and Firion drove it forward with staggering speed. His knuckles hit the barrier hard, and upon impact water froze into jagged, blocks of ice and erupted, shattering the barrier with a sound of bursting ice and glass. Sparkling shards, frozen, sprayed in all directions as the Emperor spiraled through the air backwards shrouded in wounded energy, glowing red with pain and agitation. Mateus fell, doubling over on the the other side of the hall twisted in his own garments and pain, face contorted in rage, and shock, as what was left of his protective aura crumbled around him, robbing him of his radiant glow.

Firion shook out his left hand, and cracked his knuckles, wiping the blood from his lip as he took a shuddering breath that was more like an over-exerted sigh, glaring over at the sad sight that was Mateus, as the Emperor struggled to rise to his feet.

The Emperor, disgraced, fumed with rage, the last blow not only knocking asunder his body, but also his pride. Raw energy flared from him causing the atmosphere to become radioactive, and dangerous. Before a great calamity was unleashed that would have indubitably demolished Firion, the tower and himself along with it, Firon's shoulder was already knocking him back to the floor, stone met his back and pain shot up through and out of the Emperor. The energy locked- up and dispersed backward and into the Emeror's psyche, his mind taking a blow at the amount of raw energy that was suddenly forced back into him, and he faultered greatly. A gale of blades cut at his face and all over and ice broke under his skin. Firion's blade pierced through his ornate, shattered chest plate, pinning him to the floor, and the weapons-master's eyes were in his face, glaring at him with that same determined conviction, that he would never come to understand.

"Tell me." he threatened dangerously. "Now!"

The Emperor called out shamefully as Firion played at twisting his blade within him, and the Emperor flared and growled with feral rage at the pain and defeat. Mateus, never broke eye contact with the young man, hatred radiated from his eyes and loathing soaked in it. His lips twisted in a snarl of disgust and with a burst of shadow and black light, The Emperor vanished, escaping, leaving only black flames to dance and smolder where he once lay.

Firion cursed and got up, shocked and angry. Gripping his sword and looking around and up to the domed ceiling when he heard The Emperor's last laugh, before he was gone, and Firion was left alone.

The air stilled, all was silent. Firion stood, leering up at the ceiling, lips pressed together in disappointment. In defeat The Emperor, even then, would not allow Firion his way. He would take his knowledge of Terra's whereabouts with him into void, leaving the young man at loss. In the end, The Emperor had taken from him and gotten away with it, again.

Firion clenched his teeth and balled his fist, stepping away with an furious swagger in his step as he suddenly turned and dug his fist into the nearest crystal pillar, knocking a huge glass chunk from the mass which shattered and broke into pieces as the chunk hit the stone floor with an echoing smash.

"Damn!"

Firion crossed his legs and fell to the floor, sitting with his hands holding his head, looking down into his lap with a frustrated expression over his face. He heaved a shaky sigh and ran his hands through his silvery hair, fists clenching again as a million thoughts ran across his mind. He couldn't believe it, what was he supposed to do now?

Nothing ever goes according to plan. He had messed up and underestimated Mateus' cowardace. Running at the small chance that he could lose to Firion. What else should he have expected...

Now he had no lead to where Terra could be. She could be anywhere.

Firion opened his hand in front of his face gazing at his palm. The image of her small face cupped in it ghosted across his mind, and he blinked his eyes slowly, a doll like expression across his face as if he were in a trance.

His fist closed tightly again and he looked down, sighing raggedly.

"Firion..."

Great. Now he was even starting hear her voice.

"Firion. Stand."

Firion's hazel eyes snapped up identifying that voice to its true owner at once, looking around for the voice, before he gasped, light flooding his vision. He shielded his face with the back of his hand, as his eyes focused on what was now floating before him.

The wild rose.

Firion blinked and got up hurriedly, approaching it as he gently placed his hands underneath the bloom, holding it as if it were a tiny bowl. The light radiated around its petals, bathing his fingertips in a warm light, washing away his panic and self-doubt clouded by a darkness that The Emperor left behind.

Firion saw now, what he had to do before Cosmos spoke again within his subconsciousness.

"Follow your dreams Firion." He closed his eyes, listening to her voice, "They'll always lead you to what you desire most. Remember."

When Firion opened his eyes again, the determined fire was returned to them. How could he forget?Firion closed his hand, in it, the rose, vanished in a sparkle of light and he flew down the steps, disappearing into the darkness in the direction of the way he now _knew_ Terra would be.

Cosmos was breaking the rules a little, it took all the last of what was left of her to give Firion the reassurance and direction he lacked. She had to allow him to first find this conviction himself, being the Goddess of Harmony, it was how she brought about balance, but giving him the nudge he needed was an act of leading him towards his destiny, which was more than acceptable according to her divine terms, she convinced herself.

Firion was lost before, but now he could feel something within him guiding him.

Even as the crystal tower began to fall down around him in Mateus' last attempt to stop him, he harbored no doubt or panic, however he couldn't help but apologize to Terra inwardly anyway. He just wanted to save her so badly, he was trying everything, but he wasn't perfect...it just took him a while to figure out how.

Firion leaped from a mangle of twisted glass and burst out from the collapsing bodice of structure with a rain of falling crystal. His feet caught onto the rims of the tower's exterior and he slid down the railing as it came down around and beneath him. Swiftly he drew his bow and released an arrow towards where he was heading, shattering a sheet of crystal in his way before he slid straight into it. When he reached the end of the rail he jumped, the chambre' crashing down dramatically behind him as he fell a few feet before he hit the ground running as swiftly away from the enclosing mass. When he turned around brushing silver strands from his eyes, and shaking shards of glass and sand from his cloak and hair, he watched as the last remnants of the shadow of Pandaemonium shattered. Firion stood in the distance, wind whipping by in pulses before he turned to leave, gazing down at the radiant rose in his hand.

"Hang on." he whispered.

He closed his fingers, the rose vanishing in a flurry of gleaming petals, and he took off running once again- a blur of sky blue and silver.

***

Back at the camp Tidus was looking out into the sunset, the little Onion Knight beside him. Cloud had left, venturing his own path as each was meant to do. The Onion Knight had been upset and furious at Cloud for coming off apathetic. Instead of going after Firion and Terra, he did nothing...none of the adults were doing anything about it. Being so young it was a hard thing for the Onion Knight to understand. Weren't friends supposed to help each other?

"They'll be alright, little guy." Tidus offered, grinning as he looked down at the small boy.

The Onion Knight narrowed his eyes and almost went off on Tidus, before he regained his cool and growled. "Why are we just sitting here?! It doesn't make any sense! They're in danger!"

Tidus' face went serious and he regarded the small knight with a gentle and somber tone.

"Yeah but they'll overcome it. Together. This is something that they have to figure out on their own. It will bring the two of them closer together. This is their story."

The Onion Knight blinked, and looked down, thinking over what Tidus just said carefully before choosing his next words, as if it somewhat finally clicked in his head and made sense to him at last.

"Yeah. We just have to have faith in them."

Tidus nodded. "Now you're getting it."

The two watched in long silence as darkness settled, light fading, as Tidus folded his arms behind his head. The Onion Knight sighed and spoke after a long while of quiet contemplation.

"But...what if...he messes up?" he asked, quietly, looking up at Tidus with worry. Tidus just smirked, and dropped his arms, swinging them. He then turned and tousled the smaller boy's blonde bangs roughly.

"Then I guess you'll just have to kick his ass!"

The Onion Knight huffed with a wide grin, and laughed, narrowing his acid-green eyes mischievously, as he humored the thought, and secretly relished it.

***

Miles away, shrouded in darkness, the young weapons-master cautiously made his way through a series of halls containing tangles of machinery and glass tubes. The air was thick, and the smell of rust was strong, and almost unnerving to the senses. A shallow dripping noise could be heard in the distance, but its true direction remained unknown as it echoed in the hollow chamber.

Further along, a twisted path made itself known. Firion emerged from the darkness from an over pass standing on a railed balcony. He looked below, into what seemed like an endless chasm of bridges and mechanical walls, from its depths it belched forth a gust of air that smelled heavily of rust and earth, making Firion shield his face and nose with his forearm, as he grimaced into the darkness.

"..."

Before another step was taken, a resounding crack broke the air and Firion whipped around.

Perched like a bird of paradise on a glass tube, with his face tilted to one side, was the grotesque form of Kefka starring at Firion with a cracked, curious grin and one eye opened a lot wider than the other, presenting a very curious and demented sight to the young man.

Firion adopted a look of confusion, wariness and disgust as he watched Kefka stand slowly, popping his joints like some reviving wind-up doll, which made the young man take a step back in spite of his usually stoic-nature.

_"Hellooooo!!!" _cooed the harlequin with a dark chuckle.

"Sorry, but I'm afraid she's grounded. She _can't _come out to play today." Kefka pouted teasingly, crossing his arms and turning his head away.

"I'm so sick of this! All of you act like patients out of some _mental facility_!" Firion growled, bending low into a stance to draw his sword, resting his fingers around his blade's hilt.

Kefka burst out with a loud, long, dramatic gasp, his hands on his chest and his colorful eyelashes fluttering as if in genuine shock.

"How _dare_ you! I'm not _mental_," he spat, hands on his hips and leaning forward, stomping his foot. "I'm _colorfully_ _sane_! Get it _right_!" With that, Kefka snapped his fingers and a ball of lightning crackled forward, which Firion knocked away with his buckler sending it crashing into a wall near by.

"Nggh...how clever." Firion sighed with sarcasm as he shook out his shield arm and drew his sword with the other, crouching low, "Where's Terra?!"

Kefka floated in the air, throwing him a wide smile, that twisted up his face and touched his cheekbones.

Firion glared, and then suddenly gasped, his hazel eyes wide as he turned around, quickly.

There standing in the dark doorway was a slim figure made of abyssal fur and fire, eyes wide and feral, fangs bared and standing in a haze of maroon flame.

"Terra..." Firion whispered, his voice shaking, with shock and worry.

Terra snarled, the dancing fire flaring around her, and ripples of energy pulsed from her like a heartbeat, bending the air around them in a strange "kaleidoscope" effect.

Firion shook his head in disbelief and held his breath, his brows knitting as his eyes flared with determination, locking onto the hollow yellow orbs that were currently replacing the gentle blue that he knew should belong to _his_ Terra.

Slowly he willed himself to endure the sight before him. Slowly he raised his crimson blade before him, holding it horizontally in front of his face, his piercing gaze visible just above the blade of the sword.

"I promise I'll save you from this. Terra..."

Firion clenched his teeth and watched as the fiery silhouette rose up off the ground slowly and brought her arms up, splaying her hands out and arching her claws forward half growling, half screeching. The young man braced himself, and watched her rush at him airborne, as if in slow motion. Firion narrowed his eyes and crouched, maroon light filled his vision and an angry scream filled his ears.

"...just wait for me! Just a little longer."

* * *

**A/N: TBC.**


End file.
